Clark County Approves 29-Story Heart-Shaped Resort for Former SkyVue Site on Las Vegas Strip

Clark County commissioners delivered unanimous approval for a 752-room hotel-casino resort that will occupy nearly 12 acres at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip on the former SkyVue site directly across from Mandalay Bay, and the decision clears the path for developer Eli Applebaum of Kulik River Capital to move forward with construction of a full-scale property featuring a casino floor along with restaurants, retail outlets, a pool deck, entertainment facilities, and dedicated convention space.

The project incorporates a signature heart-shaped glass facade equipped with an LED display system, while two concrete support columns left behind from the abandoned SkyVue observation wheel will be repurposed to support an elevated sky venue restaurant that offers elevated views of the surrounding Strip corridor.

Project Specifications and Amenities

The 29-story structure will deliver 752 guest rooms across its footprint, and the design allocates space for a casino floor that integrates directly with dining venues, retail shops, a resort-style pool area, multiple entertainment spaces, and flexible convention facilities that together form a self-contained destination capable of serving both leisure visitors and group events.

Developers revised the original height plans to satisfy current FAA requirements before the commission vote, and those adjustments allowed the project to receive clearance without further delays while still preserving the distinctive architectural elements that define the heart-shaped exterior.

Site Background and Prior Development Challenges

The nearly 12-acre parcel sat vacant for several years after the SkyVue observation wheel project collapsed, leaving behind structural remnants that the new plans now incorporate rather than remove entirely, and this approach resolves a long-standing gap in the south Strip landscape where stalled development had persisted across multiple ownership changes and economic cycles.

Commission records show the unanimous vote followed a series of public reviews that addressed traffic flow, height compliance, and integration with existing Mandalay Bay operations across the street, and the resulting approval marks the first concrete step toward activating the site since its previous project halted.

Regulatory Compliance and Commission Action

According to Clark County Commission documentation available at Clark County official records, the board reviewed and endorsed the updated blueprints in a single session after staff confirmed the height modifications met all Federal Aviation Administration standards for the area, and no dissenting votes were recorded during the final tally.

Observers note that the reuse of the existing concrete columns reduces certain foundation costs while maintaining structural integrity for the sky venue restaurant, and this element of the plan received particular attention during the review process because it directly addresses remnants from the prior failed development.

Construction Timeline Outlook

With approvals secured, the developer can now proceed to permitting and groundbreaking phases, and industry reports from the American Gaming Association indicate that similar Strip projects typically move from final land-use approval to vertical construction within twelve to eighteen months once financing and contractor agreements are finalized.

The property will operate under standard Clark County gaming and zoning ordinances that govern all new resort developments along the corridor, and the heart-shaped LED facade is expected to become a visible landmark for southbound traffic entering the Strip from the airport area.

Conclusion

The unanimous approval by Clark County commissioners finalizes years of planning revisions for the former SkyVue site and authorizes construction of a 752-room resort that combines standard gaming and hospitality elements with a distinctive heart-shaped exterior and repurposed structural columns, thereby activating a long-vacant 12-acre parcel directly across from Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip.